Paula Poundstone
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Born Name:
Paula Poundstone
Born Date: December 29, 1959
Born Place: Huntsville, Alabama
Died Date:
Died Place:
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, author, actress, interviewer, commentator
Brief Biography: Paula Poundstone is known for her distinct brand of smart, observational humor and legendary spontaneous wit. Rising to prominence in the 1980s, she made history as the first woman to host the White House Correspondents Dinner. Today, she regularly tours the country and is a fixture on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me.
Early Life and Career Beginnings:
Poundstone moved with her family to Sudbury, Massachusetts. She dropped out of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School to pursue a career in show business. After working odd jobs, including as a bicycle messenger, she began performing at open-mic nights in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1979. She later relocated to San Francisco, where her wildly creative improvisational sets made her a local favorite.
Television, Film, and Political Commentary:
Poundstone's career exploded in the 1980s and 90s, where she pioneered a trademark performance style dressed in a suit and tie.
Stand-up Specials: In 1990, she wrote and starred in the HBO special Cats, Cops and Stuff, for which she became the first woman to win a CableACE Award for Best Stand-Up Comedy Special.
Political Coverage: During the 1992 U.S. Presidential campaign, she worked as an on-air political correspondent for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, filing live coverage of the national conventions.
Voice Acting: She is also recognized for her voice acting work, notably as "Forgetter Paula" in Disney/Pixar's Academy Award-winning film Inside Out, as well as roles in Home Movies and Science Court.
NPR and Current Projects:
For decades, Poundstone has been a highly beloved and frequent panelist on NPR's weekly news quiz show, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me. She also hosts her own weekly comedy and advice podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone. She is a dedicated advocate for public libraries and serves as the national spokesperson for United for Libraries.
Personal Life and Authorship:
In addition to her stage career, Poundstone is an author. She has published two widely read books: There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say (2006) and the critically acclaimed The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness (2017). A dedicated mother, Poundstone has fostered eight children and adopted three children.
Born Date: December 29, 1959
Born Place: Huntsville, Alabama
Died Date:
Died Place:
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, author, actress, interviewer, commentator
Brief Biography: Paula Poundstone is known for her distinct brand of smart, observational humor and legendary spontaneous wit. Rising to prominence in the 1980s, she made history as the first woman to host the White House Correspondents Dinner. Today, she regularly tours the country and is a fixture on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me.
Early Life and Career Beginnings:
Poundstone moved with her family to Sudbury, Massachusetts. She dropped out of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School to pursue a career in show business. After working odd jobs, including as a bicycle messenger, she began performing at open-mic nights in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1979. She later relocated to San Francisco, where her wildly creative improvisational sets made her a local favorite.
Television, Film, and Political Commentary:
Poundstone's career exploded in the 1980s and 90s, where she pioneered a trademark performance style dressed in a suit and tie.
Stand-up Specials: In 1990, she wrote and starred in the HBO special Cats, Cops and Stuff, for which she became the first woman to win a CableACE Award for Best Stand-Up Comedy Special.
Political Coverage: During the 1992 U.S. Presidential campaign, she worked as an on-air political correspondent for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, filing live coverage of the national conventions.
Voice Acting: She is also recognized for her voice acting work, notably as "Forgetter Paula" in Disney/Pixar's Academy Award-winning film Inside Out, as well as roles in Home Movies and Science Court.
NPR and Current Projects:
For decades, Poundstone has been a highly beloved and frequent panelist on NPR's weekly news quiz show, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me. She also hosts her own weekly comedy and advice podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone. She is a dedicated advocate for public libraries and serves as the national spokesperson for United for Libraries.
Personal Life and Authorship:
In addition to her stage career, Poundstone is an author. She has published two widely read books: There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say (2006) and the critically acclaimed The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness (2017). A dedicated mother, Poundstone has fostered eight children and adopted three children.